Release Blitz for The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White

 

The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White is now live! A propulsive true crime–inspired thriller of masks, murder, and long-awaited justice by Washington Post bestselling author Loreth Anne White. By invitation only, nine elite guests board the luxurious Black Orchid for its maiden voyage through the mythic Aegean Sea. Not all of them will survive. Poppy Buchanan, personal assistant to legendary war photographer Lillith McGregor, sees the cruise as her chance at a better life—if she can edge her way into Lillith’s will. But their exclusive company includes Lillith’s disinherited stepson and his ruthlessly ambitious fiancée, a silent Israeli businessman with a dangerous past, a charming Dutch antiquities dealer with an agenda of his own, and a retired FBI profiler hunting a serial killer he believes is aboard. Each passenger is a piece in a deadly puzzle decades in the making. Within three days, their paths will collide during a catastrophic storm. Long-buried secrets surface. Masks fall away. And the ensuing revelations trigger a chain of events that leads to one of the most devastating maritime disasters in recent history. But the sinking of the Black Orchid is no accident—it’s a reckoning. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://amzn.to/3PJx6XG Audible: https://adbl.co/4wRoLB5 Narrated by: Kristin Atherton Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3NHstwB

Book Review for Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar

 

Library of Forbidden Books: A sweeping historical fiction novel about a librarian protecting banned books in Nazi Germany by Mario Escobar

Published:  September 1, 2026 by Thomas Nelson

Genre:  Historical Fiction

 

Taken from Goodreads:  In a world of burning books, one woman will risk everything to keep stories alive.

Berlin, 1933. The vibrant cultural heart of Germany is darkening under the shadow of the Nazi regime. For Helene Nathan, one of the first female librarians at a prestigious German library, the books she cherishes are no longer just sources of knowledge--they are targets. As the government begins its systematic purge of literature, compiling lists of "forbidden" works and orchestrating public book burnings, Helene realizes she cannot stand by as her world turns to ash.

Determined to resist the encroaching tyranny, Helene and her colleagues embark on a perilous mission of secretly collecting and hiding the very books slated for destruction. It's a dangerous act of defiance in a city where every neighbor could be an informant and the Gestapo are a constant, looming threat. Her quiet rebellion is especially complicated by the fact that Helene is half-Jewish, and Rudolf Kummer, a ruthless Nazi official, seemingly has a personal vendetta against her.

As the stakes escalate and friends and neighbors begin to disappear, Helene must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice. Her fight is not just for the pages she saves, but for the very soul of her country and the freedom to think.

Based on the heroic true stories of librarians who fought back, Library of Forbidden Books is a gripping tale of courage, the profound power of literature as resistance, and one woman's struggle to preserve humanity in the face of absolute evil.

 

My Thoughts:  A librarian wanting to save books from the Nazis, sounds simple enough but nothing involving Germany and Hitler is simple.  Helene is a hero.  The way that she consistently fights for what she believes in while trying to protect her family and herself makes her a hero of WWII.   She is a quiet hero, not well known, not being seen, just doing what she needs to do. 

I enjoyed learning about how the libraries were targeted during WWII.   It was eye opening as to how the Nazi’s viewed books and the way that they got rid of them.  My heart broke at the thought of so many great books being lost to the world.  The number of people who worked together to save them is incredible.   They put themselves at risk of great harm but understood that they had to save the books, they are part of a great history. 

WWII is my favorite era to read about.  Library of Forbidden Books is a wonderful look at a different way the war affected Germany.   War is not only about the actual fighting and killing, it affects so many aspects of life.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Book Review for A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

 

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

Published:  September 1, 2026 by Hanover Square Press

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Witches, Historical Fantasy

Taken from Goodreads:  Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries—or be silenced forever, in the dazzling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin.

Lilith Legare’s life is unraveling. Since her mother’s death, strange things have been happening - plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.

 

My Thoughts:  Madeline Martin wrote a book that brought me right into the time of the witch trials.   I was living alongside Lilith and Sybil.  I felt the chills when Lilith was searching for a way to save Sybil.  The pain that Sybil felt while being accused of being a witch was real to me.  

A Time of Witches is a phenomenal book.  The paranormal parts of the story were my favorite.  I love seeing today’s characters interact with yesterday’s characters.  The twist of Lillith desperate need to save Sybil is unique.   Both POV’s kept me entertained and wanting to read more. 

Thank you Tall Poppy and the author for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Audiobook Review for Wild About You by Madison Score, Emma Wilder (Narrator)

 

Audiobook Review for Wild About You by Madison Score, Emma Wilder (Narrator)

Published:  August 27, 2026 by That's What She Said Publishing, Inc.

Genre:  Force Proximity, Romance

 

Taken from Goodreads:  Trouble just moved in next door.

Veterinarian Cassie Thompson wants one simple to completely start over. New town. New job. New family. That’s not asking too much, is it? It’s almost as if the universe is conspiring in her favor when an escaped tiger—yes, you heard that right—and the two half-sisters she just discovered lead her to a fresh start. She’s ready to start rebuilding her life one Maryland crab cake at a time. It would be smooth sailing if it weren’t for the rapidly escalating neighbor war with her grumpy lumberjack of a landlord.

Noah Reed has no time for distractions—especially not a spunky, house-stealing veterinarian who won’t stop making suggestions for saving his mother’s exotic animal sanctuary. He has work to do, tenants who keep clogging their toilets, and a literal ton of emotional baggage that he’ll get around to addressing someday.

Cassie would rather neuter a rabid chihuahua than get entangled with another life-ruining jerk. But when one night—and one girthy bottle of wine—changes everything, their contentious professional relationship gets a lot more personal. With the fate of the sanctuary and Cassie’s career hanging in the balance, these neighbors with benefits will have to put aside their differences and their begrudging mutual attraction.

My Thoughts:  Wild About You is a fun meet cute.   Cassie and Noah are neighbors with Noah being her landlord.  The attraction between them is intense and steamy, but they (of course) fight it.

This is my first book by Madison Score and I cannot wait to enjoy more.  The story is cute and unique.   The characters are fun and relatable with real life issues.  There are some heavy topics but they were handled with respect and care. 

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook.   Emma Wilder, the narrator, is the perfect person to tell this story.   Her voice is perfect for both main characters and she did an amazing job changing her tone to feature them.   Narrators are so important to an audiobook and Emma Wilder is on my list of those I must listen to.

Thank you Hambright PR for an audiobook copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Audiobook Review for Legacy of Deception by Dani Ryan

 

Billionaire Legacy #1

Legacy of Deception: A Billionaire Romance by Dani Ryan, Alberto Frezza (Narrator), Savannah Rivers (Narrator)

Published:  August 25, 2026 by Dani Ryan

Genre:  Dark Romance, Audiobook

 

Taken from Goodreads:  An Italian billionaire.

His little sister’s best friend.

An arranged marriage neither of them wanted.

One secret that could ruin everything.

Marco Deluca has spent his life being used as a pawn in his father’s empire. But when an ironclad stipulation in the will threatens his shot at becoming CEO, Marco is forced into one role he never wanted.

Future husband.

Even worse? His intended bride is Brooklyn his younger sister’s best friend, a reckless temptation wrapped in high society trouble, and the last woman he should want.

There’s just one problem.

She’s pregnant.

And the baby isn’t his.

Their engagement is supposed to be nothing more than obligation. A business arrangement. Marco needs leverage to take back control of his family’s empire, and Brooklyn needs protection from the mess her father made.

Neither of them expects the attraction. Or the jealousy.

But once Marco decides Brooklyn is his, he’ll burn every rule, every secret, and every legacy standing in their way.

My Thoughts:  A relationship that started as a business deal but turned into so much more.   Legacy of Deception is a dark romance.  Marco is the boss’s son. Brooklyn needs Marco to protect her from her father’s mess.

I am not always a fan of Dark Romance.   There are times it goes too dark for me, but Dani Ryan wrote this book with just enough for me.   Brooklyn and Marco did not like each other, but they were forced together by their fathers.  I enjoyed how they figured out what life together would be like.   Marco became protective and possessive right from the beginning.  He claimed Brooklyn as his.  Watching them both open their hearts, learning to enjoy each other, and finally love each other was fun.

Thank you Hambright PR for an audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. 

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Available Now!! Eternally His by Jennifer Chipman

 

Eternally His by Jennifer Chipman is now live! From bestselling author Jennifer Chipman comes the fourth installment of the Witches of Pleasant Grove series, featuring a witch and a vampire who can't stand each other but are forced together when they find out they're fated mates. My mate is a vampire... and I’m rejecting our bond. Ezra is insufferable, the vampire somehow always knowing exactly what to say or do to get under my skin. As a witch, something about his aura has me constantly on edge. When a paranormal attack on Pleasant Grove leaves him injured, I don’t hesitate to give him my blood. What was supposed to heal him ended up tying us together, since it turns out I’m his fated mate. Now, we’ll be stuck together for the rest of eternity unless we can find a way to break the bond. But every night we spend looking for a way out, the more I realize that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the mate I rejected—even if it means becoming eternally his. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://bit.ly/4ncJprT Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4tsgba5

Release Blitz for Reign of Silver & Stardust by Diana A. Hicks

 

Reign of Silver & Stardust by Diana A. Hicks is now live!

CATALINA 

I was never supposed to exist. 

As the mortal spare to an immortal sister, I lived in the shadows 

until Ry was murdered by a weapon that shouldn't exist. 

Now, justice is all I want. 

To find her killer, I must take her place in the Queen’s Elite Cadre 

and become the very monster everyone fears. 

But becoming a weapon means losing my humanity… 

and losing the one man I can't resist.

 

VALOREK 

The immortals bleed my world dry while my sister rots from the inside out. 

I swore to burn their reign to the ground, 

until I met her. 

Sterling is the enemy,

a silver-blooded soldier of the regime that destroyed my family. 

But the electricity between us is undeniable. 

We are on opposite sides of a brewing war, 

and falling for the enemy is a dangerous mistake 

neither of us can afford.

  Download today!

Amazon US: https://bit.ly/4eGmEJe   

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4frdGkI 

Nook: https://bit.ly/4wlsTcW 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4bMJ62w 

Google Play: https://bit.ly/4pHxKTc  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/44nlflQ

 

Meet Diana A. Hicks

Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of dark billionaire romance.

When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.

Praise for Diana A. Hicks:

"Hicks' first installment of her Desert Monsoon series is confident and assured with strong storytelling, nuanced characters, and a dynamic blend of romance and suspense...A sexy and irresistible tale for fans of contemporary romance." - Kirkus Reviews

 

Connect with Diana A.

Website | www.DianaAHicks.com   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17596254.Diana_A_Hicks   

Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B078XPNJZY    

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/DianaHicksAuthor     

Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/DianaSexyReaders     

Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/dianahicksauthor/    

Bookbub |  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/diana-a-hicks      

Pinterest |  https://www.pinterest.com/hicksdiana/      

Newsletter |  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y7a1b9  

Book Review for Keep Me Close by Jennifer Sucevic

 

Keep Me Close by Jennifer Sucevic is now live! Knox McNichols and I have one thing in common—we can't stand each other. He's the NHL playboy who enjoys getting under my skin, and thanks to the marriage between our siblings, avoiding him isn't an option. When my ex refuses to take no for an answer, I show up at Knox's penthouse with a desperate proposal—pretend to be my boyfriend. The plan is simple: convince my ex I've moved on. Except Knox has a few rules... Rule #1: No flirting with anyone but him. Rule #2: If my ex contacts me, I tell him immediately. Rule #3: My location stays on at all times. His rules should send me running. Instead, they make me wonder if the man I've spent years fighting with is hiding something entirely different beneath his easy smiles and reputation as hockey's favorite playboy. The more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore the sparks between us—or Knox’s determination to protect me at all costs. When pretending starts to feel a little too real, I realize there might be something far more dangerous than my ex refusing to let me go. It's discovering that the man I've spent years fighting with just might be the one I can't live without. Keep Me Close is a swoony, boy-obsessed, enemies-to-lovers pro hockey romance featuring fake dating, off-limits tension, a hero who's been secretly pining from page one, and no third-act breakup. It's book five in the Chicago Railers series and can be read as a standalone. My Thoughts:   Hockey players are tough guys.  They play hard, love hard, and protect what is theirs hard.  Knox helps Cheyenne stay safe from her ex. With this protection comes rules.  The Chicago Railers are my favorite fictional hockey team.  I am a Chicago hockey fan (in real life) and this book is perfect for the off-season fix.   I devoured the story.  I love how protective Knox is, especially when he was just doing Cheyenne a favor.  Keep Me Close did not hold any big surprises, but the relationship was fun to see come to be.  Cheyenne kept him on his toes while calling him out when he was going too far.   No doubt they belong together.  I cannot wait for more of the Chicago Railers Hockey Series. Jennifer Sucevic knows how to write a steamy hockey romance. Thank you, Valentine PR, for a copy of the book via BookFunnel in exchange for my honest review. Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads Purchase your own copy on Amazon Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://bit.ly/4eDrV4b Audible: https://bit.ly/4zsVOO5 Amazon Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4xTlF0d Narrated by: CJ Bloom & Alex Knox Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4gA2ses